Receptacle



H. A. INMAN Aug. 19, 1930.

RECEPTACLE Filed Oct. 1, 192a INVENTOR Patented Aug. 19, 1930 m STATE I ABRYAQ or NEWARK, NEW Yorur W L RECEPTACLE Application filed. o tobe igezs. Serial No. 309,603.

This invention relates to a receptacle the type made byffolding a blank ofv sheet'material so as to form a liquid-tight container such, for example, as an ,oyster pail; The

vision ofimproved and more nearly liquidtight closure means for. closing the top of the receptacle to prevent escape of. liquid therefrom. s 1 V i A further object is the provision, in a receptacle of the type having corner folds, of means for sealing these folds to prevent escape of liquid from the receptacle through the corner folds, in conjunction with improved liquid-tight closure means for the receptacle.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as willbe hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification. I 1

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of'areceptacle constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating the closure flaps in open'position; p

Fig. 2 is a similar perspectiveview illustrating part of the flaps in closed position and one 'of'the flaps inopen position; a

Fig. 3 is a plan of a blank which may be folded up to form the receptacle; and

Fig? 4; is a vertical section taken approxi mately centrallythrough the receptacle, with the closure flaps in closed position.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

- There'is shown in Fig. 3 ablank so shaped that it may be folded up to form a receptacle such as is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and L Thisv blank has a portion :lQforming the bottom of the receptacle, and'portions: 11 forming the front wall, 12 forming therearjwall,13 form,-

ing one side wall, and l' lfforming another side wall. When the portions 11, 12, 13 and 14 are folded'up at an angle to the bottom 10,-thecorner portions15 are folded a ong thelines 16, and these corner folds may be laid against the front and rear walls 11 and 12, as shown in Figs. 2 and4.

It has beenfound in practice that there is usuallysome leakage out of a receptacle of this kind through the corner folds. When a liquid or semi-liquid is carried inthe'receptacle, it works its way around the corners of the receptacle into the space between the adjacent layers 15 of the cornerjfolds, and then seeps out .through the tops of these corner folds as the receptacle is jarred or shaken while it is being carried.

To prevent such leakage, the present invention contemplates the provision of anadhesive connection between the adjacent layers 15 of the corner-folds. The adhesive, which may be any suitable lcementor glue, is shown atg17 in rFig. 3. When the blank is folded up to the shape'shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this strip of adhesive will unite the twolayers forming each corner fold with each other along their top edges, and thus will effect ually: prevent leakage from 'the receptacle through the cornerfolds.

The blank shown in Fig. 3 may be provided with portions arranged to form closure flaps, which may be foldeddown across the top of the receptacle to close it when desired. For instance, there may be a flap 20, connected to the upper edge'of thefront wall 11 of the receptacle, this flap being of the shape shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This flap' preferably is of such size and shapethat it covers the entire area of the: top ofthe receptacle when it is folded down to its effective position extending across the,top,'. and preferably it has a secondaryflap 21 attached tothe edge opposite tothat which is, connected to theffront wall 11. When the'main flap'20 is-in efiective position, this secondary flap 21 may be {pldeg down into-the.receptacle,as shown in Flaps 22f and 23" connected to the upper edges of the sidewalls 1 3 and 14,-respectively, are arranged so that they, may be :1 folded down ontopof thefiap 20 whenthe latter is ineffective position across the topof the receptacle, ,andja fiapo24 secured to-the edge q of the rear wall 12 may be folded down across in closedposition.

In previous receptacles of this general type, there has ordinarily been more-or less leakage along the edges of the closure members. One of the principal causes of'such leakage has been the fact that the pressure of the contents of the receptacle causedthe sides to bulge outwardly and thus to become slightly'separated from the .edges of the'closure members, leaving a space through which the contents might leak. Heretofore, no provision has been made for reducing or preventing the leakage caused by this bulging of the sides. The present invention provides closure flaps especially adapted to overcome this defect, and to form a cover which substantially eliminates or materially cuts down the amount of leakage from the top of the receptacle, notwithstanding the bulging of the sides. i

From Figs. 1 and 3 itwill be noted that thetwosides edge'sBU'and 31 of the flap 20*are'not straight, but are slightly curved.

The amount by which these edges deviate from af'stra'ight line is preferably made slightly greater than the amount of .deviationeaused along the tops ofthe-side walls 13-an1d14flby pressure of the .contents of the receptacle. 'Thus this flap 20. fits tightly againstithe side walls Band 14 when it is in its effective position, even when these walls are bulged outwardly- Preferably the length of the flap 20, from the edge connected to the wallll' to'the opposite edge of the flap, 'is made slightly greater thanthe distance across the top' ofthe receptaclefrom the front wall 11 to the rear wall 12.

1Thusjthefla'pf 20,. when forced down into place, fits tightly "against the xwalls of the receptacle around all sides, and acts as a satisfactory closure, especially when used in conjunction-with theother flaps 22, 23 and 24 above mentioned The-secondary flap v21 liesagainst the-wall 12 of the receptacle, the natural resiliency. 0f. the material tending to straiglit'en it ou'ta'ndthuskeeping its lower edge pressed against the wall 12 .to form a tight jointflThe curved edges 30 and 8101f the'flap 2O form'tight joints with the sides 13 and 1 4 ofth'e receptacle, the edges of the flap 20 being held in place by the side flaps maintaininga liquidtight' joinfiahng theie'dges. 'Theitopfiap 24 holdsi theother flaps in place, and also "Taids mprovidinga tight joint along the'rear edgefoftherecept'acle. Thus it is seen that a Fip'artieularly"jelfective closure provided,

the inventive idea may be carried out in a -number ofways. -This application is therefore notto be limited to the precise details "shown, but is intended to cover all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of" the invention or the scope of the appended claims. i

I claim as my invention: '1. A receptacle including a body portion having a substantially rectangular open top and closure members therefor folded from a singleblank of sheet material, said closure members including a flap integrally connected to said body portion along one edge of said open top and of proper dimensions toextend across and cover the entire area of said open'top, and a plurality of flaps con nected to other edges of said open top and arranged to be folded down'on top of said first named. flap, and fastening means for holding the uppermost flap in closed position,-said first named flap having edges conveXly curved to compensate for outward bulging of the sides of said receptacle and to insure liquid-tight engagement therewith.

2. A receptacle including a body portion having a substantially rectangular open top anclclosure members therefor folded from a single blank ofsheet material, said closure members including a flap integrally connected to'saidbody portion along one edge of the open top and of proper dimensions to extend across and cover the entire area'of said open top, said flap having iedges convexlyqcurved to compensate for outward bulging of the sides of said receptacle and to insure liquid-tight engagement therewith, said flap. also having a secondary flap connected'thereto along the edge opposite to that connectedtothe body portion and. arranged to extend -downwardly from said flap and to lie in contact witha side wall of said receptacle to provide a liquid-tight joint between. said. flap and'said wall, flaps connected to theedge'sof said open top adj acent the edge to which the first named flap is connectedand arranged to be folded down on said first'namedflap, and a flap connected to the edge of said open top opposite tothe edge to which said firstnamed flap is connected and arranged to be folded down on, top of'said first namedflap and, said second namedfflaps', and fastening mechanism for holding said "last named flap in said foldedv down position.

. 3. A1receptacle including a body-.portio11" having a substantially rectangular open top and closure members therefor folded from a single blank of sheet material, said receptacle having corner folds eachcomprising two surfaces of substantially triangular outline integrally joined together along one edge and. lying in superposed relation, an adhesive connection between said two surfaces of each corner fold to seal each corner fold for preventing escape of liquid from the receptaclethrough the corner folds, said closure members including a flap integrally connected to said bodyportion along one edge of said open top and of proper dimensions to extend across and cover the entire area of said open top, and a plurality of flaps connected to other edges of said open top and arranged to be folded down on top of said first named flap and fastening means for holding the uppermost flap in closed position.

4. A receptacle including a body portion 7 having a substantially rectangular open top and closure members therefor folded from a single blank of sheet material, said receptacle having corner folds each comprising two surfaces of substantially triangular outline integrally joined together along one edge and lying in superposed relation, an adhesive connection between said twosurfaces of each corner fold to seal each corner fold for preventing escape of liquid from the receptacle through the corner folds, said closure members including a flap integrally connected to said body portion along one edge of the open top and of proper dimensions to extend across and cover the entire area of saidopen top, said flap having edges convexly curved to compensate for outward bulging of the sides of said receptacle and to insure liquid-tight engagement therewith, said flap also having a secondary flap connected thereto along the edge opposite to that connected to the body portion and arranged to extend downwardly from said flap and to lie in contact with a side wall of said receptacle to provide a liquid-tight joint between said flap and said wall, flaps connected to the edges of said open top adjacent the edge to which the first named flap is connected and arranged'to be folded down on said first named flap, and a flap connected to the edge of said open top opposite to the edge to which said first named flap is connected and arranged to be folded down on top of saidrfirst named flap and said second named flaps, and fastening mechanism for holding said last namedflap in said folded down position. o

' HARRY. A. INMAN. 

